West Michigan mom who denied cancer treatment to save baby has died

This is a photo of Carrie DeKlyen and her husband, Nick. DeKlyen, a woman from Wyoming, Michigan, opted not to have cancer treatment to save her unborn child. The baby was delivered by C-section yesterday.(Photo: Family Photo)

A Michigan woman who sacrificed the chance to prolong her life in order to give birth to her sixth child has died.

Sonya Nelson told the Free Press that her sister-in-law, Carrie DeKlyen, 37, died early Saturday surrounded by family.

The last words Nick DeKlyen said to his wife were, "I'll see you in Heaven."

Doctors removed Carrie DeKlyen's feeding and breathing tubes on Thursday, a day after she gave birth to daughter Life Lynn DeKlyen. The mother chose to forgo chemotherapy to treat her brain cancer, since it would have meant ending her pregnancy.

"Me and my wife, we are people of faith," Nick DeKlyen said. "We love the Lord with everything in us. We talked about it, prayed about it. Even with everything on the table, my wife chose the baby."